Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir arrived in Iran’s capital, Tehran, on Wednesday, accompanied by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. The Pakistani delegation was received by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the airport. However, what caught the eye of political observers was that Munir got off the aircraft first and Naqvi trailed him. Munir greeted Araghchi while Naqvi kept hiding in the background as an insignificant personality. This shows that Munir has tightened his grip on power in Pakistan.
‘Munir Pakistan’s De-factor Leader’
Former Pakistani minister Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday also stated that there are ‘no two opinions’ that Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir is the country’s de facto leader. Chaudhry asserted that real decision-making currently rests with the military leadership. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Chaudhry pointed out that US President Donald Trump referred to Munir as Pakistan’s leader. Chaudhry said that Trump did not bother to talk about Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
“There are no two opinions that Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir is the de facto leader of Pakistan. The decision-making right now rests with the Army chief — the Field Marshal,” Chaudhry stated. He further added, “At the moment, even yesterday, if you see, President Donald Trump referred to Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir as the leader of Pakistan and did not even bother to mention Shehbaz Sharif. That makes it very clear — there are no two opinions that Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir is the de facto leader of Pakistan.”
US-Iran ceasefire talks
Amidst a fragile two-week ceasefire and a looming naval blockade, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff arrived in Tehran on Wednesday. His high-stakes visit is seen as a final-hour attempt to resuscitate peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran after the “Islamabad Talks” ended without a breakthrough.
According to Iranian state media and diplomatic sources, the delegation is carrying a specific new message from the United States intended to outline a framework for a second round of high-level negotiations. This diplomatic push in Tehran comes as US President Donald Trump indicated that, while he is not considering extending the ongoing two-week ceasefire, a negotiated settlement remains the preferred path.
US President Donald Trump has expressed confidence that extending the truce would not be necessary, remarking, “I think you’re going to be watching an amazing two days ahead. I really do.” Building on this sentiment, when questioned on whether the hostilities would conclude through a deal or the neutralisation of Iranian capabilities, Trump emphasised the benefits of a diplomatic resolution.
“It could end either way, but I think a deal is preferable because then they can rebuild,” he stated, adding that “no matter what, we took out the radicals.”
The urgency for such a breakthrough was further highlighted by Trump’s suggestion that additional talks could materialise within the next 48 hours.
While initial discussions pointed toward a European venue, the US President later indicated a shift in preference, suggesting Islamabad as a more likely location for the second round of direct negotiations to end the seven-week conflict.
US Vice President JD Vance is likely to lead the American delegation once again for the second round of talks. The proposed meeting in Islamabad is expected to include Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, both of whom have been central to exploring a diplomatic pathway to end the hostilities.
However, while Vance, Witkoff, and Kushner remain in contact with Iranian officials following their previous 21-hour marathon session, the specifics of the next meeting remain under deliberation.
Pakistan hosted a delegation of the US and Iran to hold negotiations in Islamabad to resolve the conflict between the US and Iran last week. Noting that the economic impact of the US-Israel and Iran conflict is “far greater” on Pakistan, the former minister highlighted that the Pakistani foreign reserves cannot afford expensive imports. (With ANI inputs)
